VICTORY—Gov. Ted Kulongoski signs into law energy-efficiency standards for a key list of products in Oregon. OSPIRG’s Jeremiah Baumann, pictured on the far right, will now work with the governor to bring cleaner cars to Oregon. Also pictured, from left to right, are Reps. Bob Jenson (Pendleton) and Jackie Dingfelder (Portland), Mike Grainey, director of the Oregon Department of Energy and Jeff Bissonnette of Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board. Photo credit: Annie Douglass.

In a victory for OSPIRG’s Clean Cars For Oregon campaign, Gov. Ted Kulongoski vetoed a provision in a budget bill, supported by the auto industry, that would have blocked the Clean Cars program. OSPIRG opposed the provision, and urged the governor to use his veto pen.

The state’s Clean Cars program will cut emissions of global warming pollution from cars and light trucks and require that automakers sell a minimum number of advanced technology vehicles, such as hybrids. Gov. Kulongoski has pledged to make Oregon the ninth state to adopt the standards, and OSPIRG is urging him to use his authority to move forward this year.

“The Legislature caved in to the auto industry, but the governor did the right thing for Oregon’s environment and economy,” said Jeremiah Baumann, OSPIRG’s clean energy advocate. “Now it’s up to him to move the program quickly.”

The governor can instruct the Environmental Quality Commission to enact the program. If the Commission acts by the end of the year, cleaner cars would be on Oregon roads when model-year 2009 comes on the market.